Circadian Regulators

Scientists from Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Medical School and the University of California, Santa Cruz, may have discovered the secret to regulating our internal clock. They identified a regulator at the tail end of a protein, Casein Kinase 1 delta (CK1δ), which acts as a pace setter for our circadian rhythm. Also known as our internal biological clock, or the natural 24-hour cycles that control sleep-wake patterns and other daily functions. These findings could pave the way to treat a variety of body clock disorders from jet lag to chronic circadian sleep disorders.

Professor Patrick Tan, Senior Vice-Dean for Research at Duke-NUS, commented: “Regulating our internal clock goes beyond curing jet lag—it’s about improving sleep-quality, metabolism, and overall health. This important discovery could potentially open new doors for treatments that could transform how we manage these essential aspects of our daily lives.”